Archive for December, 2013

There was a place in Russia that has held the world record for coldest place on earth, some ridiculous number close to MINUS (-)128F. (Take a moment, sit back in your chair right now, and imagine what just -28F itself would fee like…then subtract another HUNDRED in your mind! Talk about “Blowin your mind”!)

Well, researchers have found what they believe to be a NEW low! It’s interesting to keep in mind that there are few ways to measure temps so cold. Realize that alcohol and mercury thermometers will freeze well before reaching -100F. So, just measuring it is a serious challenge!

We in the Weather world talk a lot about the Lakes, and their “effect(s)” on us…and for good reason. All things work together, and it’s up to us “scientist types” to figure out how and how much. Lake Ontario is notorious for bringing downwind locations (usually east or southeast) a ton more snow than other areas that are just hit by the storm itself, whose winds get the Lake into action after the fact. The Lake also has a cooling effect on us in Spring time, as the air heats up from longer days, but the Lake keeps things cooler (and more tranquil, thunderstorm-wise), downwind too.

But, do you realize that if the winds aren’t “strong enough” to see visible effects, there are still things happening, where the Lake (and any lake) is interacting with the atmosphere above it, but not visible to the eye.

In that vein, here’s a fairly technical article (you are forewarned!) on the topic of lake/air interaction in general…not specific to Ontario, but it does actually include data regarding other local lakes!